TODAY it is more important than ever for people to come forward and give blood.

Oxfordshire needs a further 2,000 people to become donors if the NHS in the county is going to meet its quotas.

And with a state-of-the-art donation centre reopening recently at the John Radcliffe Hospital, there has never been a better time to sign up.

Centre manager Gayle Franklin warns that the “donor base” has reduced in recent years, so new volunteers need to be found to replace them.

So this week, the Oxford Mail is calling on those who have never donated before to think hard about giving it a try.

We are also urging dormant donors to start making regular donations again.

In Oxford, people can also take slightly longer out of their days – 90 minutes instead of an hour – to donate platelets.

Both will go towards providing lifesaving transfusions that are so vital to treating many patients.

Each pint of blood can benefit up to three people and as regular donor Andy Moore says, “it’s only a couple of hours and it’s incredibly important”.

To book an appointment visit blood.co.uk